The invention relates to a method for inserting a spring into a longitudinal-side or head-side groove of element panels and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
According to WO 2008/017301 A2, floor coverings made of a plurality of interconnected element panels, which have interlocking rails at their head sides and the longitudinal sides engaging in the installed position with adjacent element panels of a floor covering are known in the art. Grooves are provided in the head sides, wherein the grooves of two abutting head sides correspond with each other and form a locking channel for receiving a head spring. The head spring is preinstalled in the groove and protrudes over an end of the groove facing the longitudinal side of the element panel. At the same time, the head spring is in the preinstalled state completely housed inside the groove and can be moved at least partially from one groove into the corresponding groove of the adjacent element panel by displacing the protruding end of the head spring into the groove. Such covering composed of element plates has the advantage of obviating the need for subsequent insertion of the head springs into the locking channel. In this context, WO 2006/043893 A1 discloses the separation of springs from a contiguous arrangement of springs and insertion of the springs into the groove with an insertion device at the factory. The spring assemblies are produced by injection molding in form of a mat and separated in a separation unit. These separated springs should then be moved essentially parallel to their longitudinal or transverse direction and inserted into the groove, where they are held by friction forces, assuming a configuration where they can be bent about the longitudinal axis and are hence resiliently displaceable in the installation plane.
Separation of the springs requires a special separation unit in order to carefully remove the connecting pieces that connect two adjacent springs with each other. Because the springs are mass-produced components, relatively large quantities of plastic waste are generated from the connecting pieces where the springs are to be connected with the element panels. This waste must be discarded or recycled. Because this is a mass-produced article, a rapid supply of springs is desirable, so that there must be provisioned in a relatively large quantities. It is also possible to separate the springs individually and then, for example, orient them with a vibratory device so that a storage magazine can be filled; however, malfunctions can occur with components having a small volume. The springs should advantageously have a defined orientation before being inserted into the groove, should be provided in large quantities, without requiring a complex separation of interconnected springs.
DE 10 2004 005 047 B3 discloses another conventional method and device for inserting a strip which forms the spring of a panel. With this method, the panel and the locking element are transported parallel to each other at the same speed along a transport path in a transport device. During the transport, the locking element contacts stationary devices located on the side along the transport path, wherein the stationary devices become continuously narrower in the transport direction. This device displaces the locking element increasingly perpendicular to the transport direction, until starting with its front end, the locking element is continuously pushed farther into the groove of the panel (in relation to the transport direction).
DE 10 2004 062 648 B4 disclose a device for inserting springs into the head sides and/or longitudinal sides of technical products, wherein springs are stored for a transfer arrangement in order to later insert the springs with a pressing device into the wood products. For example, when the springs arrive from storage, the springs may be cut to the desired length either before or in the transfer device and transported to a pressing device which is movable transversely to the transport direction of the technical wood products.
It is an object of the invention to disclose an apparatus for inserting springs into a groove, which obviates or advantageously solves the aforementioned disadvantages.